This is a blog detailing the creation/evolution/ID controversy and assorted palaeontological news. I will post news here with running commentary.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Vatican Shuts out Creationists, ID Supporters

The Vatican is hosting a congress on evolution, science and faith and are, according to the story in the Catholic News Service, excluding supporters of ID and recent earth creationism. The story notes:

Jesuit Father Marc Leclerc, a philosophy professor at the Gregorian, told Catholic News Service Sept. 16 that organizers "wanted to create a conference that was strictly scientific" and that discussed rational philosophy and theology along with the latest scientific discoveries.

He said arguments "that cannot be critically defined as being science, or philosophy or theology did not seem feasible to include in a dialogue at this level and, therefore, for this reason we did not think to invite" supporters of creationism and intelligent design.

While it has always been the catholic position that evolution be treated as science, this takes the form of institutional support. It also follows on the heals of the Methodists' declaration that they would not support teaching either creationism or ID in the public schools. The vast majority of evangelicals still lean the other way and this will startle more than a few people.